Recently I’ve seen my parents deal with something that many people have to deal with. It seems so common now that many of our friends' parents are divorced as well. Frankly, it’s part of life for many people, and it may seem like the end of the world at first, but there can be a lot to learn from it.
Your happiness is just as important as anyone else's. While I was growing up, my mom was constantly trying to provide for everyone else and put their happiness before her own. Sometimes you need to put yourself first and be selfish. It’s okay to do things for yourself sometimes.
Independence is important. Everyone should experience life living on their own for a little while. Constantly being in a relationship and relying on the physical and emotional support of your significant other could end up hurting you later in life. While being able to share your life with someone else is an amazing thing, it can be hard to figure out who you are and what you really want in life.
Be able to support yourself.In my eyes, this is maybe the most important thing. Make your own money to be able to support yourself. For years, I watched my mom struggle in an unhappy relationship where she wanted to leave but was financially unable to. I told myself I would never let this happen to me. I don’t ever imagine that I’ll be rich one day, but if I can live a financially independent life, then I would consider myself to be successful.
Love isn’t always forever and that’s okay. We’ve probably all grown up watching Disney movies where the princess lives happily ever after with her prince, the end. As cliché as it sounds, when one door closes another is bound to open. Seeing how much my mom's life has changed makes me realize that this is only a small chapter of my life and that you can’t possibly be prepared for all of the obstacles that life will throw at you. Someone might seem like your entire world now, but eventually you might drift apart and that's okay. Life isn’t supposed to be stagnant.
Be supportive.Making the decision to end a relationship isn’t going to be easy for anyone. The best way to help is to try and be as understanding and supportive as possible. I didn’t expect this to happen, but when my mom was going through a divorce, we became so much closer and were able to open up to each other about more personal subjects than we ever had before. We became best friends. I knew the pain she was going through, and I did my best to be there for her when she needed me.
Everything is going to be okay. As I said before, it’s just another chapter in life. Better things will be down the road even if it doesn’t seem like it now. Work hard to achieve your goals and to be a better person.
